Our faith in Christ should give us the strength to handle family relationships better than unbelievers (Ephesians 3:14-21).
Why, then, are so many Christians having trouble with saved and unsaved family members?
1. We should be the first to honestly evaluate our actions and repent, even if we've only been 10% of the problem (James 5:16; 1 John 1:9). When was the last time you sincerely apologized?
2. We should be the first to forgive, refusing to keep lists of past offenses (Mark 11:25; Ephesians 4:31-32). Are you keeping lists, claiming there's no use to work on reconciliation?
3. We should be the first to overlook the bad and focus on the good in other family members (Romans 12:9-10; Philippians 4:8). When was the last time you complimented your family members?
The world tells us to set boundaries, demand our rights, and do what pleases us most.
God gives us the power to pursue peace, be considerate and unselfish (Hebrews 12:14; Philippians 2:3; Ephesians 5:10).
If we can’t do these things with our own family members, how small is our faith (Proverbs 24:10)!
To read more about the practice of Boundaries: Are Boundaries Biblical?
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Thanks for a wonderfully inspiring post. When I saw "broken families" I almost didn't read it, because I expected something different than what you wrote - something along the lines of "divorced people just should have worked harder!". But this applies to all sorts of family relationships, and gave me some encouragement in dealing with my own extended family. Thanks : )
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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